DreamWorks Animation
]] '''DreamWorks Animation SKG, Inc.' DWA is an independent American animation studio, producing primarily feature animated films. It was formed by the merger of the feature animation division of DreamWorks SKG and Pacific Data Images (PDI). Originally formed under the banner of DreamWorks SKG, it was spun-off into a separate public company in 2004. Some of its most known films include the Shrek series, Shark Tale, the Madagascar series, Over the Hedge, Bee Movie, Kung Fu Panda, Monsters vs. Aliens and How to Train Your Dragon. They are currently distributed only through Paramount Pictures (in turn owned by Viacom) who acquired the rest of DreamWorks SKG in February of 2006. DreamWorks Animation maintains two studios: the original DreamWorks feature animation studio in Glendale, California and the PDI studio in Redwood City, California in the Silicon Valley region. In 2010, a new logo was used and make its debut with How to Train Your Dragon. History Early years In 1980, Pacific Data Images was founded by Carl Rosendahl with a small loan from his father. In 1982, he was joined by Richard Chuang and Glenn Entis, who wrote the foundation of the in-house computer animation software that was to be used for the next two decades. During the 1980s, PDI created many animated logos and commercials for television for companies like NBC and Sky Movies. They shifted into motion picture visual effects beginning in 1991 with a contribution to Terminator 2: Judgment Day. In 1997, DreamWorks SKG was formed and founded by a trio of entertainment players, director and producer Steven Spielberg, music executive David Geffen, and former Disney executive Jeffrey Katzenberg. DreamWorks signed a co-production deal with PDI to form subsidiary PDI, LLC (PDI owned 60% of PDI, LLC while DreamWorks SKG owned 40%). The new unit would produce computer-generated feature films beginning with Antz in 1998. In the same year DreamWorks SKG produced The Prince of Egypt using traditional animation techniques. In 2000, DreamWorks SKG created a new business division, DreamWorks Animation, that would regularly produce both types of animated feature films. The traditionally animated feature films were produced by the division's Southern California branch. DreamWorks SKG acquired majority interest (90%) in PDI, reforming it into PDI/DreamWorks, the Northern California branch of its new business division. The business division separated from its parent in 2004, forming DreamWorks Animation SKG, Inc. and purchasing the remaining interest in PDI as well as its subsidiary PDI, LLC. Today Since 2004, DreamWorks Animation is dedicated solely to producing CG animated films in-house. No more traditional 2D animation is expected. DreamWorks Animation also had a partnership with Aardman Animations, a stop-motion animation company in Bristol, England. This partnership had DreamWorks participating in the produciton of stop-motion films in Bristol, and also had Aardman participating in some of the CG films made in the US. This partnership ended after the release of Flushed Away in November 2006; the announcement was made before the film's release, on October 3, citing "creative differences" as the reason. http://www.animationmagazine.net/article.php?article_id=5971 Also since 2004, the company has committed itself to make two computer-animated feature films a year. The logo, adapted from the parent studio's logo, consists of a boy fishing on the moon, against a backdrop of the daytime sky albeit with more colorful lettering. Starting with Monsters vs. Aliens released on March 27, 2009, DreamWorks Animation is now making 3-D animated films, with the help of InTru3D. On May 22, 2009, DreamWorks Animation announced that 8 feature films will be released in 2 years (example: How to Train Your Dragon, Shrek Forever After and MegaMind in 2010, Kung Fu Panda: The Kaboom of Doom and Puss in Boots in 2011, The Croods, Madagascar 3 and The Guardians in 2012). Board of Directors The following executives are on the DreamWorks Animation SKG, Inc. Board of Directors: *Roger Enrico, Chairman of DreamWorks Animation SKG Inc. *Jeffrey Katzenberg, Chief Executive Officer of DreamWorks Animation SKG, Inc. *Paul Allen, Chairman of Vulcan Inc. *David Geffen, Co-Founder of DreamWorks *Lew Coleman, President of DreamWorks Animation SKG, Inc. *Mellody Hobson, President of Ariel Capital Management *Nathan Myhrvold, Chief Executive Officer of Intellectual Ventures *Howard Schultz, Chairman and Chief Global Strategist of Starbucks Corporation *Meg Whitman, President and Chief Executive Officer of eBay, Inc. *Judson Green, President and Chief Executive Officer of NAVTEQ *Michael Montgomery, President of Montgomery & Co. *Karl von der Heyden, retired Vice Chairman and Chief Financial Officer of Pepsico, Inc. Films and series Traditionally-animated films Note: All traditionally animated films were made at the Glendale studio. Stop-motion films Note: All stop-motion films were produced by Aardman. "Flushed Away" was co-produced by Aardman, but is largely a DreamWorks production. Computer-animated films Upcoming films *''MegaMind'' (November 5, 2010) (Glendale, in production) *''Kung Fu Panda: The Kaboom of Doom'' (June 3, 2011) *''Puss in Boots'' (working title, November 4, 2011) (part of the Shrek series) *''The Croods'' (working title, March 30, 2012) *''Madagascar 3'' (May 25, 2012) (part of the Madagascar series) *''The Guardians'' (November 2, 2012) TV Specials *''Shrek the Halls'' (2007) *''Monsters vs. Aliens: Mutant Pumpkins from Outer Space'' (2009) *''Merry Madagascar'' (2009) *''Shrek or Treat'' (2010) Short films *''Shrek in the Swamp Karaoke Dance Party!'' (November 2, 2000; created for home video) (PDI) *''Shrek The Halls'' (2007) (PDI, ride film for Universal Studios) *''Sinbad and The Cyclops Island'' (December 12, 2003; created for home video) *''Far Far Away Idol'' (December 5, 2003; created for home video) *''The Madagascar Penguins in a Christmas Caper'' (December 7, 2005) (PDI) *''First Flight'' (May 19, 2006) (Glendale) *''Hammy's Boomerang Adventure'' (December 23, 2006; created for home video) (Glendale) *''Secrets of the Furious Five'' (December 9, 2008; created for home video) (PDI / Starz Animation) *''B.O.B.'s Big Break'' (September 29, 2009; created for home video) (Glendale) Traditionally-animated television series *''Toonsylvania'' (February 7 1998 - December 1, 1998) *''Invasion America'' (June 8, 2010 - July 7, 2010) *''Alienators: Evolution Continues'' (September 15, 2001 - May 18, 2002) *''Neighbors from Hell'' (June 7, 2010 - ) Computer-animated television series *''Father of the Pride'' (August 31, 2004 - May 27, 2005) *''The Penguins of Madagascar'' (November 29, 2008 - present) *''Kung Fu Panda: Legends of Awesomeness'' (2010) (under development for Nickelodeon) *''Monsters vs. Aliens: The Series'' (2011) (under development for Nickelodeon) External links *Official site Category:Dreamworks Animation Company